Erwin Bölger (former general secretary of the Imperial League for the Struggle Against Social-Democracy). "Social-Democracy After the War." (60 pfennigs.) Berlin, 1915 (Berlin U. 3. 11. German Publishing House Concordia). (pp. 45.)

3 - Praise of "their (the social-democrats') impeccable, worthy conduct"...

6 - "Rosa Luxemburg" - malicious attacks against her several times; against the "bandit party press" (6), etc.

9 - Sessions of the 4th and 5th of August in the Reichstag... "brought us great joy"... "a bright spot in the picture was the social-democratic 'Yes'!" (10)... ..."Thus she (social-democracy) can now appear with clear brow even before the international tribunal at one of the world party congresses" (13)...

* See V. I. Lenin. Works, 4th ed., vol. 21, p. 21. Editor.

...Our Imperial League is now dying out (16)...


NOTEBOOK "Ξ" ("XI")

..."Can one imagine a better German than the Mannheim hero Dr. Frank, this darling of German social-democracy?" (21)...

(4th of August) "The world experienced a historical turning point unequalled in its significance" (21)...

..."It is difficult to imagine that someone would suddenly transform themselves back from a German patriot into an inveterate internationalist. This war must imprint so deeply in all hearts the concepts of 'national' and 'German' that no one will be able to free themselves from them any longer" (26)...

..."The man who, fifteen years ago, listened to social-democratic orators at public meetings often had to marvel how thinking people could seriously take their abominable speeches, full of hatred and ranting abuse, and applaud them wildly. But whoever frequently attended social-democratic meetings over the last 10 years could see with growing admiration how the level rose, both of the orators and of the masses" (32)...

Class hatred—therein lies the evil (33 and onwards).

..."Where have the class distinctions gone? Now there are no more parties and even less class divisions. Officer"... mechanic, etc. (36)...

The Kaiser's son and leader of the Bavarian social-democratic youth leagues, Michael Schwarz, received identical "Iron Crosses" as a reward (36)... "Can this man, whom love of the fatherland called to the field of battle... ever again permit his young followers to nurture hatred for the sons of his comrades of 1914? Certainly not, unless he wishes to spit in the face of all that is good"... (36)...

..."The further consequences of the change in tactics"... "Opposition at all costs" "was a dangerous weapon," etc.

"Can these principles continue to exist in their petrified form? Whoever wishes to be honest with themselves and others must say: no!" (38)...

"Social-democracy as a party" must remain (41) without "utopias" (43), without the idea of "violence," "nonsense" (41)... "as purely" (author's italics) "a workers' party"... "a national" party.


..."After the war, we Germans will have even less soil for the propagation of international utopian ideas" (44)...

..."After the experience they have gone through, the German workers, as we have already noted above, must coldly weigh and finally reject the international tendencies of social-democracy"... (44)

As if the leadership of social-democracy had not fought against the lies of the French, the Executive Committee of the International Socialist Bureau (45), etc. ..."When they proceed to remake the entire outdated Erfurt Programme—and this must happen someday—they should make the proper conclusions and above all strike out the international principles from the programme"... (45)

The party must carry out "recognition of its belonging to the nation" (45)...

Then behind the workers there will stand not an international, not a "working for overthrow"... "but a party recognizing the power of the national idea, ready for practical peaceful agreement and vigorously defending the interests of its followers—a German workers' party!" (45) (author's bold type).

((Final words of the pamphlet)).

End
